Meyer Sound Constellation and Dolby Atmos Installation Brings New Flexibility to Grimstad Kulturhus

Grimstad Kulturhus, the cultural center at the heart of the beautiful Norwegian coastal town, has significantly expanded its audio capabilities with a groundbreaking Meyer Sound installation that integrates the Constellation acoustic system and a Dolby Atmos cinema system in a single sound system.

This installation, which elevates the capabilities of Grimstad Kulturhus’ Pan Theatre cinema and live performance space, is the first in Europe to employ the new generation of Constellation alongside Meyer Sound’s NADIA integrated digital audio platform. This combination leverages the latest advancements in digital signal processing to enhance system power, flexibility, and scalability, enabling more discrete zones for greater resolution and more nuanced adaptability.

Central to the installation’s versatility is a sophisticated system of custom-designed mechanical speaker mounts developed by the project integrator, Lillehammer Tekniske Byrå (LTB), who have collaborated with Meyer Sound on several Constellation installs throughout Norway. These mounts enable the venue’s loudspeakers to instantly transform from Constellation active acoustic enhancement to theatrical Dolby Atmos presentation. The system is also capable of multichannel immersive surround and special effects, controlled by Meyer Sound’s Spacemap Go spatial sound design and mixing tool.

Rolf Meyer Tallaksen, Grimstad Kulturhus’ manager, says he was interested in exploring the capabilities of Constellation to enhance concert performances of all genres. “As a musician, I’m thinking about having a good room for making different types of music. I checked out Constellation and some other acoustic systems, but when I heard Constellation, I said, ‘Yes, this is it.’”

When it came to the cinematic component, Tallaksen could have taken the traditional route and installed a separate Dolby Atmos-certified system but instead opted for a bolder approach. “I started thinking, why can’t we use the same loudspeakers for Constellation and build one system for both things? Many people said, ‘No, no, no. It will not work.’ But I said, ‘Yes, I want to try that.’ A colleague told me about the Constellation, which is the best system available for live performances, and Meyer Sound will guarantee that it will work.”

“To meet the speaker-aiming specification for both Atmos and Constellation, it was clear from the start that LTB had to develop a solution with motorized pan/tilt speaker mounts to be able to switch between the two positions at the touch of a button,” explains Børre Linberg. “The R&D team within LTB rose to the challenge and quickly developed a tailor-made solution.” The team built custom mounts for 30 speakers, each capable of rotating the speaker along two rotational axes.

The Meyer Sound Constellation installation, designed by the Meyer Sound Constellation team in collaboration with LTB, comprises 60 loudspeakers and 24 microphones. Speakers include four MM‑4XP miniature self-powered loudspeakers, 16 UP‑4slim ultracompact installation loudspeakers, 26 HMS‑5 cinema surround loudspeakers, four HMS‑10 cinema surround loudspeakers, and 10 MM‑10 miniature subwoofers.

The cinema system, which can be configured for Dolby Atmos and 5.1 or 7.1-channel surround, includes three ULTRA‑X40 compact point source loudspeakers, three 750‑LFC low-frequency control elements, two USW‑210P compact narrow subwoofers, and six X‑400C compact cinema subwoofers.

Both system configurations are managed by a NADIA core processor along with a Galileo GALAXY Network Platform. (The room, which seats 76 for cinema and 100 for live events, features an expansive LED wall used as a backdrop for performances and conferences; a traditional projector screen lowers from the ceiling for movie screenings.)

The multitasking system is complex in design but effortless to operate. “We have a Crestron panel, where everything is programmed,” Tallaksen explains. “It’s easy to use for everybody. We have one on the wall and one on the front of house, and one iPad that you can give to the musicians.”

The collaboration between Meyer Sound, LTB, and Grimstad Kulturhus not only vastly expands the center’s capabilities, it underscores a regional movement toward integrating cutting-edge technology in cultural venues. “Norway has ten venues that use the Constellation system, which, when considering the country’s population of just around five million, speaks clearly to the successful nature of the cooperation between LTB and Meyer Sound,” says Linberg.

Since its premiere just before the holiday season, the Dolby Atmos system has captivated moviegoers with its rich, dynamic sound. “People who have been to the cinema are amazed by the sound,” Tallaksen says. “It’s clear. There’s bottom in it, the bass.”

Tallaksen has demonstrated the venue’s capabilities for local musicians during concert rehearsals. “I have a choir that I’m conducting; it’s 45 singers. And they love the room,” he says. “When we sing classical a cappella stuff, it’s just ‘wow,’ everywhere.” The excitement culminated with a grand opening with a classical concert at the end of January, kicking off a three-week winter classical festival poised to showcase the venue’s sonic transformation.

With its unique ability to shift seamlessly between configurations for diverse audio experiences, Grimstad Kulturhus exemplifies the future of sound technology in cultural venues. “This Kulturhus is one of the best-equipped theaters that we’ve done,” says John Pellowe, Meyer Sound’s project director, Constellation Systems. “It can multitask when it comes to sound in a big way.”